Broom-brace.



L. A. & A. A. CHMARA.

BROOM BRAC E. APP'ucATlon FILED SEPT. 23 19:3.

Patented Dec. '21, 1915.

UNflTiJD sriiirnsra OFFICE.

- "Lao A. CHMARA AND ANASTASIUS A. C HMARA, or BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

BROOM-BRACE.

Application filedSeptember 23, i9 13. Serial No. 791,424.

ments in Broom-Braces, of which the follow-.

ing is a specification.

The obj ectof this iIIVQIltlOIllS to provide a I broom brace which :will act to stiffen the straws after the same have become weakened by use so that the Straws will not flex so 7 greatlyunder sweeping pressure.

It. is not the objectv of this invention to provide a rigid broom brace which will unyieldingly stiflen the broom straws, but on the other hand, it is the object of this'invention to yield ingly stiffen the broom straws so they will'flex to a certain extent under sweeping pressurebut will not be so limber as to cause theends ofthebroom straws to lie-flat upon the surface to be swept. It is well known that brooms are usually discarded long before the straws are entirely worn out owing to the fact that the straws become excessively 'lim'ber and limp and itbecomes difficult to manipulate the broom in such a way as to properly sweep a surface. This is especiallytrue where brooms are used vention attached to a. broom.

for scrubbing purposes. Sometimes new brooms are objectionably flexible especially where the straws are of greater than the normal length.

It is the object ofour invention to provide a cheap and eflicient attachment which can be readily applied to any kind of broom to brace the straws thereof sufficiently so that the same will not be over flexible under sweeping pressure.

Our invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying draw ing and will be more particularlypointed out in and by the appended claim.

In the drawing:F1gure l is a view in elevation illustrative of one form of our. in-

similar view of aslightly modified form of the invention, and showing the same detachedfrom a broom. Fig. 3 is asectional view on line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the lower end of a broom handle is indicated at 1, and the broom head at 2. The broom body Fig. 2 is a Specification 'of-Letters Patent. Patented Dec; 21, 1915;

2 is composed of longitudinally disposed straws having sweeping ends 4;. Suitable binding 5 is disposed near the upper port-ion of the broom body. In this form, the de-.

vice of our invention includes a pair of U- V shaped band portions 6 and 7 adapted to be connected at their ends to form a band for embracing the broom body above the sweep-' ingend 4 thereof. In the form illustrated,

the band portion 7 is provided with aplurality of notches 8 and the band portion 6is provided with a stud 9, for engagement with said notches to provide for expansion 'or contraction of the broom band. It will be understood that while only one side is shown the otherside will be ofidentical construc I ried by the band portion 6 and projecting. through said slot 10. A thumb nut l2 may be provided to lock the parts: This additional adjusting means may serve as an effective lock to prevent the .stud 9 from springing out of engagement with the notches 8.

\Ve provide means for flexibly connecting the band to the base portion of-the handle 1, and as shown, such means may consist of a rod 13 having its ends secured to the band portions 6 and 7, as indicated at 14;, and extending upwardly from the band about the lateral edges of the broom body in a manner The toconformto the shape of the latter. rod 13 extends abreast of the head 2 and above the same where it is bent to form eyes 15 through which a bolt 16, having a thumb nutli, extends. As will be clearly seen by reference to Fig. 1, the bolt 16 is disposed laterally at one side of the broom handle 1-.

The rod 13 is bent to form a loop 18 extendthat theloop and the bolt 16 will firmly secure the rod 13 to the handle.

.ing from the eyes 15 about the handle 1 so v 100.

The rod 13 is preferably resilient so that.

when the broom. is subjected to downward sweeping pressure it will permit of flexure of the broom strawsto a limited extent so as to provide for the proper sweeping action. 4

Should the broom straws become too flexible,

the device of our invention will stiffen the same sufiiciently so that proper sweeping action'can be obtained. The-means for adjusting the broom band to contract or ex pand the same'is especially serviceable where portions 19' and 20 are provided with slots screw is provided with ahead 24:, and with it is desired to stiffen the broom straws to a greater extent ,where the broom 1s usedfor scrubbing, in which event contraction of the band would render the'broom straws exceedingly stiff so that a firm scrubbing contact may be had with the floor surface,

In'the form shown in Fig. 2, the band 21 and 22, respectively,through which a screw 23 extends, as shown-in Fig. 3. The

a thumb nut 25 whereby the'ba'nd can be effectively locked'whe'nadjusted to the desired extentof contraction'or expansion. 1

A rod 13, in all respects similar to that j of the preferred construction as shown in 4 extends through the eyes 15 and the spring have herein-shown and-described one spe-' Fig; 1, extends upwardly from the band p0rtionsv1'9 and 20 but between the eyes 15 we interpose'an' expansion spring 26, so as to normally-separate the..eyes..- The bolt 16 andiis provided with a thumb-nut atone end. a

It .is' believed that' 'the' advantages and utility of our invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing, and while ve icific form'of the, invention we do not wish tobe limited thereto except for suchlimitations as the clalm may import.

' We claim a [A broom'attachment comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped strap metal mem: bers, said vmembers "being received around the straws of the broom head adjacent the sweeping ends thereof the ends' of one of said members overlying the ends of the other of sa1d members, one of sald members provided with a plurality of notches adja-' cent its free extremities, said notches coinmunicating with the upper edge thereof, studscarried by the'other of said members adjacent its free extremities for engagement withcertain of said notches, one of said members provided with slots, adjacent its, free extremities, screw threaded studs bent to'form a'pair of eye loopsrand embrace the handle, and means connecting said eye loops and the handle. I

In testimony whereof we ailix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

LEO A. 'GHMARA.

ANASTASIUS anana \Vitnesses: 1

MICHAEL M. DAIDAS, EDMOND PZAPSKI. 

